1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supporters attached to a water purifier, and more particularly, to a detachable rotational filter supporter that can hold or release a filter through a rotational operation and that can automatically open or close the flow channel when the filter is separated from or installed to a water purifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as a result of water pollution, consumers increasingly mistrust tap water cleanliness and thus usually drink tap water treated by water purifiers or bottled water.
In general, a water purifier is configured to include: at least one or more filters for filtering foreign materials contained in unfiltered water that flows thereinto through an inflow part, and for discharging purified water; and an outflow part for discharging the purified water to the outside of a conventional purification system.
When the filters of the water purification system perform a purifying operation for a certain amount of water or for a certain period of time, they filter and accumulate foreign material which reduce their filtering ability and as such must be replaced.
In order to replace filters in the conventional purification system, the filters and their supporters must be coupled to each other by male and female screws. Hoses and fitting, which couple between filters or between filters and supporters, must be separated from each other by using additional tools. Also, unfiltered water must be directly blocked by an unfiltered-water blocking device and then the filters are replaced. After that, the unfiltered-water blocking device is controlled to allow unfiltered water to flow therein. Therefore, replacement of the conventional purification system is complicated and inefficient.
Furthermore, it is difficult or even impossible to assemble the conventional purification system when it is installed in a relatively small space. And even when the conventional purification system is installed in a small space, its filters cannot be easily replaced due to its coupling structure. That is, the filters can only be replaced after the fittings are removed by additional tools. Therefore, the filter replacement of the conventional purification system is complicated and inefficient. Also, since it is difficult for general users to replace the filters of the conventional purification system themselves, users must ask the manufacturers or agent and pay a service fee to have the filters replaced.